Airlines for America urges Congress to reject amendment on airline credit cards

Airlines for America has announced its opposition to the Durbin-Marshall Amendment, urging Congress to reject it. The organization made this announcement on X, emphasizing the importance of airline credit card use in generating frequent flier rewards.

The Durbin-Marshall Amendment is part of the proposed Credit Card Competition Act, which aims to increase competition among credit card networks by requiring large card issuers to offer at least two unaffiliated networks for transaction routing. According to Airlines for America, this could reduce interchange fee revenue that funds airline rewards programs, potentially leading to fewer flights and diminished tourism. The organization argues that such changes would negatively impact consumers and the broader travel industry.

Airlines for America reports that over 31 million Americans hold airline travel reward cards. These cards are integral to airline loyalty programs, providing significant value to consumers through earned miles and points. The widespread use of these cards underscores their importance in the travel ecosystem.